EP2447101B1 - Front module for a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a front module for a motor vehicle with two side rails arranged on both sides, a seated in front of the two longitudinal beams bumper beam, which is connected with the interposition of a respective deformation element with the front ends of the longitudinal members, and a arranged between the longitudinal members or between the deformation elements radiator frame, the carrying the cooling package.

It is known to design the front modules of motor vehicles in such a way that they specifically absorb energy in the event of a collision. This applies both to the protection of the occupants in rear-end collisions or frontal collisions as well as for the protection of pedestrians who come into contact with the vehicle, especially at relatively low vehicle speeds.

It is an important goal of the motor vehicle industry in addition to the protection of persons also to ensure that functional components in the front of the vehicle, such as the cooling package, are protected to keep repair costs low after accidents. In order to approach this goal, various solutions have already become known.

After EP 1 988 005 For example, it is known to make the front structure so that the attachment of the cooling package is formed on the support structure by a frame in which the radiator is held and which in turn is anchored to the support structure via connecting elements, which on exceeding a maximum force of the Release support structure. When the crash boxes are completely compressed, the bumper cross member directly abuts the radiator frame, shears off the plastic anchoring pins formed as fasteners, and shifts the radiator unit toward the passenger compartment.

Furthermore, it is from the EP 1 957 346 It is known that the cooling package in the front region of the motor vehicle is fastened to a section of the support element which can be displaced when an external force greater than a predetermined value acts on this area. At the same time, however, at least one fastening state of the component with the carrier element is maintained, which is intended to ensure that the displaced component does not fall out of the engine compartment onto the road and can thereby be damaged.

Furthermore, a front module is known ( FR 2 898 095 A1 ), in which the bumper beam sits on crash boxes, which are arranged at the end of the longitudinal members. If, after a frontal impact, one of the crash boxes or both crash boxes are completely compressed, the bumper beam will come into contact with buffers of the radiator frame and move it towards the passenger compartment.

In a similar construction ( EP 1 232 931 A1 ) suggests the bumper beam, after the crash boxes are completely compressed in a head-on collision, to projections of the radiator frame, with a corresponding part in the region of a predetermined breaking point dissolves. As a result, the radiator including its support structure is moved backwards to the passenger compartment.

Finally, in another construction ( EP 1 323 566 A1 ), the mounting bracket of the cooling unit at its upper end to hang pivotally about an axis lying in the vehicle transverse direction. The lower portion of the mounting bracket is attached on both sides by means of holding members. The support members are angled brackets with a front bend and a rear bend, the latter being attached to the mounting bracket. In the event of a frontal crash, the mounting bracket is then pivoted together with the cooling module about its upper axis to the rear in the direction of the passenger compartment.

However, these known examples are far from sufficient to achieve sufficient occupant and pedestrian protection and at the same time the cooling package to protect adequately.

The invention is therefore based on the object, a front module of a motor vehicle to design such that not only improves the occupant and pedestrian protection, but also the cooler package is optimally protected in the event of a collision.

• dass der Kühlerrahmen (4) zur Frontseite des Fahrzeugs hin konvex gewölbt ausgebildet ist,
• dass die bauchige Wölbung eindrückbar ist und dadurch ein zusätzliches Element zur Absorption der Aufprallenergie bietet,
• dass im Kollisionsfall der Stoßfängerträger (1) zunächst in einer ersten Deformationsstufe nach der Verformung des Deformationselementes (2) bzw. der Deformationselemente an dem Kühlerrahmen (4) zur Anlage kommt,
• dass dieser anschließend in einer zweiten Deformationsstufe verformt wird und
• dass der Stoßfängerträger 1 nach der Deformation des Kühlerrahmens (4) an mindestens einer Stelle des Kühlpakets (5) zur Anlage kommt, um dieses nach hinten in Richtung auf den Fahrgastraum zu verschieben.

According to the invention, this object is achieved with the features of claim 1, namely characterized

• the radiator frame (4) is convexly curved toward the front of the vehicle,
• that the bulbous curvature is depressible and thus provides an additional element for absorbing the impact energy,
• in the event of a collision, the bumper beam (1) first comes into contact with the radiator frame (4) in a first deformation stage after the deformation of the deformation element (2) or of the deformation elements,
• that this is then deformed in a second deformation stage and
• that the bumper beam 1 after the deformation of the radiator frame (4) at at least one point of the cooling package (5) comes to rest in order to move it back towards the passenger compartment.

Due to this two-stage deformation mechanism of the front module, an extremely large deformation range is created, which optimally absorbs the impact energy and protects both occupants and pedestrians, while at the same time leaving the cooler package undamaged.

For the first deformation stage, the displacement path of the radiator frame is expediently limited by its abutment against the lower frame part.

In addition, the radiator frame may be deformable in itself, thereby creating additional deformation latitude.

Furthermore, the bumper beam can come to rest on the distribution box of the cooling package in its movement to the rear at the beginning of the second deformation stage.

In this case, a contact block can be arranged on both sides of the cooling package on the distribution box at the level of the bumper support, on which the bumper support comes to rest at the beginning of the second deformation stage of its displacement.

Preferably, the contact block consists of elastic material, so that the deformation mechanism can be gentle and continuous, not jerky.

Fig. 1

in schematischer Darstellung die Seitenansicht des Frontmoduls, wobei fünf Deformationsschritte a bis e dargestellt sind, und

Fig. 2

einen Schnitt entlang der Linie II-II aus Fig. 1 wobei drei Deformationsschritte a bis c veranschaulicht sind.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawing and described in detail below with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of the side view of the front module, wherein five deformation steps a to e are shown, and

Fig. 2

a section along the line II-II Fig. 1 wherein three deformation steps a to c are illustrated.

After the drawing, the front module according to the invention consists of a bumper beam 1, which is connected on both sides via a respective deformation element 2 with the front ends of the longitudinal members 3, and a arranged between the longitudinal members 3 and between the deformation elements 2 radiator frame 4, the cooling package. 5 wearing. The radiator frame 4 is formed arched toward the front of the vehicle and thus offers the fact that the bulbous curvature can be pressed in, an additional element for absorbing the impact energy. The cooling package 5 has at least in its side regions each have a distribution box 6, on which at the height of the bumper support 1 per a contact block 7 is arranged, on which the bumper beam 1 can come into contact in the event of a collision. The contact block 7 is made of elastic material, so that the a distribution box 6, on which at the height of the bumper beam 1 per a contact block 7 is arranged, on which the bumper beam 1 can come into contact in case of collision. The contact block 7 is made of elastic material, so that the contact phase between bumper beam 1 and distribution box 6 or cooling package 5 is cushioned. In the lower region of the front module, a lower frame part 8 designed as a crossbeam is arranged.

In Fig. 1 and 2 in each case, the sub-figure a represents the basic concept of the front module in which no deformation of the front module has yet taken place and the bumper support 1 is in its normal position.

In the event of a collision, the bumper beam 1 moves backwards in the direction of the passenger compartment, not shown in the drawing, until it comes to rest on the radiator frame 4, as in Fig. 1 shown in the subfigure b.

When the bumper beam 1 continues to move rearward, it takes the radiator frame 4 with it until it moves according to Fig. 1c comes to rest on the lower frame part 8. This constellation is in Fig. 2b shown in plan view, it being recognized that in this position, the arranged between the longitudinal member 3 and the bumper beam 1 deformation element 2 has already greatly deformed.

In the further displacement of the bumper beam 1 to the rear, the bumper beam 1 sets under deformation of the radiator frame 4, as in Fig. 1d 1, gradually adjoins the elastic contact block 7 disposed on the junction box 6 of the cooling pack 5, and shifts the cooling pack 5 in its entirety rearward without damaging it. This final state is in the side view in Figure 1e illustrated.

In the plan view, this state is in Fig. 2c to recognize, in which the bumper beam 1, the deformation element 2 has been further compressed and the radiator frame 4 has shifted backwards so far and deformed that it comes to rest on the contact block 7 and this in a rearwardly shifted position has pressed, in which the cooling package 5 is not damaged.

As can be seen from the drawing, a two-stage deformation takes place in the event of a collision.

In the first stage, the bumper beam 1 sets after the deformation of the deformation elements 2 to the radiator frame 4, until it comes into contact with the provided on the distribution box 6 contact block 7. Up to this constellation, the cooling package 5 is still in its original position.

In the following second deformation stage, the deformation elements are further compressed, the radiator frame 4 is further deformed and the bumper beam 1 moves further back toward the passenger compartment, taking the cooling package 5 to the rear, without initially damaging this significantly.

The front module according to the invention thus meets the requirements set in two respects. On the one hand, it provides good protection for both the occupants and a pedestrian, provided that the impact does not exceed a certain extent. On the other hand, the cooling package 5 is very effectively protected, since the first stage of the deformation takes place in front of the cooling package 5, while in the second stage, the entire cooling package 5, without this is first damaged, by investing the bumper support 1 at the contact blocks 7 piece is moved back towards the passenger compartment.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

bumper beam

2

deformation element

3

longitudinal beams

4

cooler frame

5

cooling package

6

distribution box

7

Contact block

8th

lower frame part

Claims (6)

1. Front module for a motor vehicle with two longitudinal members (3) arranged one on either side, a bumper support (1) which sits in front of the two longitudinal members (3) and is connected to the front ends of the longitudinal members (3) with the interconnection of a respective deformation element (2), and a radiator frame (4) which is arranged between the longitudinal members (3) and between the deformation members (2) and supports the cooling assembly (5),
   characterized

   - in that the radiator frame (4) is designed so as to arch convexly toward the front side of the vehicle,

   - in that the bulging arch can be pressed in and thus provides an additional element for absorbing the impact energy,

   - in that, in the event of a collision, the bumper support (1) first of all, in a first deformation stage after the deformation of the deformation element (2) or of the deformation elements, comes to bear against the radiator frame (4),

   - in that said radiator frame (4) is then deformed in a second deformation stage, and

   - in that, after the deformation of the radiator frame (4), the bumper support (1) comes to bear against at least one point of the cooling assembly (5) in order to displace the latter to the rear in the direction of the passenger compartment.
2. Front module according to Claim 1, characterized in that, for the first deformation stage, the displacement distance of the radiator frame (4) is limited by the latter striking against the lower frame part (8).
3. Front module according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the radiator frame (4) can be deformed per se.
4. Front module according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bumper support (1), upon movement thereof to the rear at the beginning of the second deformation stage, comes to bear against the distributor box (6) of the cooling assembly (5).
5. Front module according to Claim 4, characterized in that, on both sides of the cooling assembly (5), a respective contact block (7) is arranged on the distributor box (6) level with the bumper support (1), against which contact block the bumper support (1) comes to bear at the beginning of the second deformation stage upon displacement of said bumper support to the rear.
6. Front module according to Claim 5, characterized in that the contact block (7) is composed of elastic material.

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